While most Dayton-area schools have at least a few military-connected students in their district, given the proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the school districts with the highest percentage of military students are Beavercreek, Mad River and Fairborn, according to previous Dayton Daily News reporting. These are also the districts that are the closest to the Air Force base.
Ohio law gives public school districts three options for enrollment. The district can only allow students who reside in their districts to enroll; the district can allow enrollment from adjoining districts; or the district can allow anyone to enroll. All military families now fall under the third category.
Of the districts in Greene and Montgomery Counties that have the highest concentration of military families, Bellbrook-Sugarcreek, Centerville, and Oakwood have a five-star rating on the 2023-2024 state report cards. Beavercreek has 4.5 stars on that report card.
Centerville, Beavercreek and Oakwood do not allow open enrollment. Bellbrook previously allowed open enrollment, but a note on the district’s website says, “Due to anticipated enrollment numbers we are not accepting students who wish to open enroll.”
Beavercreek Schools, another district that has a high percentage of military students attending its schools, expects to see many students who want to come. But it doesn’t have space for students who live outside the district, said spokeswoman Beth Sizemore.
The district is seeking a 4.9 mill, $265 million school levy that would build a new high school and renovate other buildings.
Centerville Schools spokeswoman Sarah Swan said the district is still working through the impacts of the new law on the district.
“We anticipate there would be interest from families wanting to attend Centerville City Schools, but we are also at or near capacity in several buildings,” she said.
Mad River, which already accepts open enrollment students, could be affected by this law, too.
A federal law says a school district getting federal impact aid can adopt a resolution restricting the open enrollment of its native students in other districts if at least 10% of the student population qualifies under federal guidelines.
Mad River Superintendent Chad Wyen said Mad River Local Schools surpasses this threshold due to its significant number of military and federally connected students.
“While we are not concerned about the overall open enrollment law in regard to military students — given that Mad River Schools welcomes more than 650 open-enrolled students annually — specific language in federal law remains a factor in policy decisions,” Wyen said.
Mad River plans to update the board policy around the 10% rule, Wyen said, with a final vote expected in April.
Fairborn spokeswoman Pam Gayheart said the district will see some changes. She said if the receiving district can take the students, they will be able to go, which would be a change.
“We will be working hard to make sure that we are communicating all of our academic and extracurricular options for families,” Gayheart said.
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